Luthor Huss
}} Luthor Huss, known by others as the Prophet of Sigmar is a legendary and zealously pious Warrior Priest of the Cult of Sigmar that has traveled the length and breath of the Empire, preaching against corruption and rousing the faithful to seek the will of holy Sigmar. Having consigned himself to a life of eternal battle, where he believes he can best pay tribute to his mighty war-god, Luthor has since become a living nightmare of every corrupt priest, the scourge of the unfaithful and the bane of those who consorted with the Dark Powers. Luthor Huss is a grim and determined figure of zeal, whose unwavering faith in Sigmar and his stern and almost emotionless expression has ensured the rooting of corruption wherever he goes. Many Priests suspected of corruption have been found slain by Luthor's feet, and the tales of such grisly acts of righteous justice meted out by his hands has drove an Arch Lector of the Church to demand for his immediate excommunication. However, Grand Theogonist Volkmar refused to take such drastic actions. The enigmatic smile that appears on the Theogonist's face whenever Luthor's name is mentioned has led many to think that the old man knows something important about Luthor's ultimate destiny. None are known to be sure of the Grand Theogonist's motives, but whatever the case, this lone Warrior Priest of Sigmar continues his long holy crusade against the Darkness, fighting with nothing but his faith and the powerful swing of his mighty Warhammer. History It is unclear where the Man that would become Luthor Huss came from, nor does anyone know even his original name. All that was known was that a young boy came upon the doors of a Sigmarite Temple located within the northern shores of the Empire, upon a cliff overlooking the Sea of Claws. Adso Theiss, the elderly Sigmarite Priest that maintains the Temple found the young twelve year old in the cold and rain, and when asked his business, the boy simply replied that he wished to learn. What caught the Priest's attention the most was the boys piercing brown eyes, which was filled with a grim determination unlike anything he'd seen from a child. Although Father Theiss reluctantly allowed the child to live there, the boy soon proved his worth to the old priest. The boy worked from dawn to dusk, aiding the Priest in many errands and impressing the old Priest with his enthusiasm to learn the Sigmarite faith. After a month at the temple, he was reading primers designed for acolytes older than him. After two months he had progressed to the catechisms. After a year he had read the entirety of the "Life of Sigmar" and had begun to wrestle with Uwe Mordecai’s dense and difficult "Thoughts on the Nature of Faith". He surpassed his fellow acolytes in everything, and they hated him for it. Though they may trash and beat the boy, the boy held his ground and didn't fight back. In time, the old Priest gave the boy a name, which Luthor picked out of a book containing the lives of all important saints and heroes of Sigmar's faith. Out of the many names, he chose two; Aldrecht Luthor and Bohrs Huss. Thus the priest finally gave the boy a proper name; Luthor Huss. The Lessons of Faith }} After nearly four years, Luthor Huss grew ever more powerful and strong, soon towering over every occupant within the very Temple itself. The young man spent every waking moment learning, training and conditioning himself to become an exceptional priest of the church. Not wanting to raise a mindless zealot, the elderly Father soon began to tutor the young child about the true meaning of faith, and the uniqueness of the Human spirit. Ever eager to learn more, Luthor was finally allowed to follow Father Thiess on his journey to bring comfort to the lands around his Temple. As they traveled, Father Theiss taught the young lad how to field his Warhammer like a true Priest of Sigmar. After four days, the two eventually reached the village of Hnel, where the old priest began the rites that would bless the inhabitants for some time. It was upon this backwater village that Luthor finally saw the world for what it is, not the imagined one that is written within the holy tomes of the Temple. Poverty and squalor was everywhere, and the people he was meant to minister, lead and protect only seemed to make him sick of their weakness. Yet the greatest revelation upon that day was that Luthor finally learned the true extent and limits of his own abilities. A young yet beautiful girl no more then sixteen years of age was afflicted with Black Fever, and Luthor Huss, in his determination fought hard to bring the girl's soul back from the abyss of death. Through his soul, the young Warrior Priest tried to bring the girl back from the brink, but at the last moment, the soul faded away into darkness. To young Luthor, she was an angel, and he was not able to save her. As the young Priest lay wear he knelt, he held his hands to his face and finally understood the meaning of the old Priest's words. The old Priest told the young lad that he was no Priest of Morr, nor a healer. He was a Warrior Priest of Sigmar, and his duty is to the living, to give them hope, to remain strong, and to comfort them when no others will. The world are full of daemons and angels, and so the elderly priest comfort Luthor that should he live long enough, he will soon find one again. The Test of Faith }} As Luthor grew stronger, his mentor Thiess grew weaker. In time, the old priest could no longer do the proper rites, and made Luthor do such things in his stead. Needing a successor to the Temple, the old priest gave the young Warrior Priest one last test before placing the mantle of Priest upon his shoulders. Outfitted with armor and his mentor's Warhammer, Luthor Huss came upon the town of Wiesmund and confronted the foul creature that has taken residence within the town's chapel. Though the beast was old and Luthor in the prime of youth, the creature was quick and still powerful. After much struggle, Luthor gathered what is left of his strength and strangled the creature until it lay limp. Yet the poison that had infected Luthor during the battle sapped him of his strength, making him fall unconscious. As he finally awoke, he struggled to make his way back to the Temple, keen on keeping the promise to return for the old priest's last moments of life. Yet upon entering the Temple's chapel, Luthor had bore witness an event that would change him forever. Within the chapel, Father Thiess stood upon a dark altar littered with the bones of animals. His robes were black and striped with silk, and his face bore the years of youth. When Thiess set his eyes upon Luthor, he became distraught. Luthor, however, became enraged, all thoughts of pain from his body momentarily gone. With a roar, the young priest willingly flung himself at his former mentor, enraged at this most hurtful betrayal. After much effort, the young Luthor held his mentor down and glared at him with watery eyes, and Theiss glared back. From there, the former Priest of Sigmar gave Luthor his final lesson. Only his eyes told the full story – that his anger was with himself, with his weakness and with his cowardice. Staring down into the warped face, Huss saw Theiss’s life spread out from end to end. He saw the hopes of youth, marred by the crushing labor and disappointment of adulthood, followed by the horror, the all-consuming horror, of his soul’s extinction. Fighting back his emotions, Luthor Huss let loose the killing blow. As fire raged across the Temple, Luthor came after the other acolytes that had also indulge themselves upon this act. Yet, as he lay upon the bloodied face of one of them, the rage within him cooled and for the first time, he saw the bloody work he has wrought. A wave of nausea, as profound as that conjured up by the creature in Weismund, shuddered through him. He staggered to his feet, holding his bloody hands in front of him. It was then that he realized the revelation, that the acolytes knew about the old priest's damnation, and that only Huss, pious, gloomy Huss, had been too wrapped up to notice, lost in an austere world of doubt, prayers and scripture. For the first time, he felt the gnawing of a terrible, all-consuming doubt. He heard the boom and crash of a tower falling in on itself in the temple, and the noise of it struck at his heart. As the fires spread and the remaining inhabitants fled to the forest, Luthor Huss stood like a statue as the last word's of his former tutor ring again and again in his mind. From then on, he knew he could never understand the weakness of others, and have instead chosen that none shall ever be close to him so that they won't suffer the folly of his own blindness. As Luthor looked to the East, the young Warrior Priest stood up and walked down the hill. Once he started walking, he knew he would never stop. That would be his crusade, to remain alone, insulating humanity from his dreadful blindness and fighting evil as penance for his sins. The Founding of Faith }} In the years following his departure unto the world, Luthor Huss has sought out evil wherever he went. Yet Luthor Huss could never run away from his past forever, and upon the lands of Drakwald the Priest will finally come face to face with his own destiny. During his time there, the lone warrior priest followed a trail of destruction wrought by a horde of zombies that had recently arisen from the dead. One such location, upon the ruins of Helgag, the lone warrior priest stumbled upon a lone survivor, a bruised yet beautiful girl known simply as Mila. When the hordes had dispersed, the lone warrior priest pressed onward, but was unexpectedly followed by the young girl. The girl reminded Luthor too much of the sick girl many years ago, and could not bear to relive the experience again. And so Luthor tried to leave her behind, having traveled several miles ahead of her before he stopped, noticing that still, she continues to follow. In a rare act of kindness, the Warrior Priest went back for her, comfort her and brought her along on his journey towards the town of Eisenbach. From there, he rallied the townsfolk to the town's defense, rousing the downtrodden into religious fanatics capable of beating back the dark tide. When the Undead Hordes came, the Warrior Priest and his fanatics fought them down to the last. But the foolish girl still followed him into battle, and Luthor fought all the harder to keep her safe. She soon became precious to him, as if her presence alone gave him hope and happiness that he never felt before. He could not risk losing her, not again and so after battles end, he left alone at dawn once more. He traveled alone through the dark forest of the Drakwald. Deeper and deeper did Luthor Huss delve into the heart of darkness, even as horrors beyond counting began to chase him through the forest. Finally, the Priest came upon an abandoned stone temple, where he fought a bitter last stand against a warband of Beastmen. But out of the thickets, a small Imperial Army led by Witch Hunter Eichmann crested over a hilltop and fell upon the Beastmen hordes with a fury. Luthor was wounded badly, but as the battle raged the Witch Hunter came to his aid and dragged the wounded priest out of the Temple. But as he came outside, he saw her. She rode amid a small group of cavalry, flanked by swordsmen, her blonde hair looking silver in the starlight. She was shouting something, waving her sword around in that clumsy way of hers, just as she had done that night in Helgag. He smiled at that, unconsciously, just as he’d always smiled when she came close to him. Amid all the filth and fear and violence, she was a rare jewel of purity. She came back. He was still smiling when the beast shot out from the shadows, hidden by the curving line of boulders near the water’s edge. She saw it coming, but it was far too strong and far too quick. She managed to get her sword up to block the first of the axes, but the second buried itself deep in her chest, nearly severing her head from her body. Huss started forward, shaking the hands of the witch hunter from his arms, suddenly choked with horror. Luthor roared her name, and as he tried to run down the hill, his legs failed him and he crashed himself upon the dirt. As tears ran unchecked down the priests cheeks, Mila gave one last glance and an outstretched hand towards Luthor before her soul left this world. Huss tried to crawl towards her, but fell on his face. He dragged himself a yard or two further before he felt hands gripping his armor, hauling him up again. Huss looked up one last time, catching a glimpse of the bloodied tangle of blonde hair in the distance, discarded amid the gore and mud. Then darkness took him. When he woke up once more, he wasn't the same again. He barely spoke, even when the Witch Hunter interrogated him. He never looked up as he trodden alongside the army as they made their wear to the very heart of this dark wilderness; the Gallowsberg. Even as battle and bloodshed was all around him, Luthor Huss grimly marched towards the source of all his nightmares, one that he knew all too well. A Bray-Shaman awaited him, but it was no random Beastmen, but the same acolyte Luthor hated in his childhood, the one that always beat him, hated him and tried to kill him. As Luthor Huss became ensnared into an unholy ritual circle, his body convulsing in pain, the creature once known as Acolyte Hirsch gave Luthor a choice. Join the darkness, abandon the weakness of Humanity and lead the strong against the Empire of Man. Even as pain and eventual death seared through his body, even as Luthor felt doubt like he never had before, through the pain and smoke the Priest uttered one reply; No. Then everything stopped. Luthor was bathed in Golden Light and he could not see. An angelic voice spoke to him, telling him that he had chosen one of two destinies, and that he has passed the test. Luthor said that he doubted, but the angel reassured him that all men doubt and that he is only human. Then, upon the floor lay an old sword, once wielded by the same girl that followed him for so long. The priest asked who she is, and all the angel replied was; "Why did I come back for you, Luthor Huss? Because once, in another world, you came back for me". In an instant, a flash of golden light burst forth and Luthor fought the Bray-Shaman with a time-worn sword and his mighty Warhammer, shining with golden light and his eyes glowing golden fire. The shaman's staff burst, and the creature was demolished by waves of hammer blows. In that instant, against all hope, the horrors of the Forest were destroyed by his wrath and the Imperials were victorious. When the Priest led the ravaged army out of the wilderness, he left soon after, giving the Witch Hunter his motives before he disappeared from sight. Since that time, he has traveled the Empire, not merely to hunt down evil but to protect that which is precious above all; the Empire's people. Characteristics }} Luthor Huss embodies the very epitome of a Warrior Priest in both faith and strength of arms. He is a towering giant of a man, unwavering in his devotion, unceasing in his pursuit against corruption, and shows almost no weakness to those around him. Ever since he came upon the Temple many years ago, Huss was determined beyond those of any child. He would spend every waking moment trying to improve himself in both mind, body and soul. The boy was not afflicted with vice of any kind, and was resolute and pious to the extreme. Yet herein lies Luthor's one and only weakness. Luthor Huss believes himself protected from all forms of doubts and temptations, yet his inability to associate oneself to doubts ensures that Luthor can never truly understand the complexity and strength of the human spirit. He has read the lives of saints and wants to be one himself, but he cannot fathom that he is simply a Human being, in both flesh and mind like anyone else. As his former mentor once told him, the ability to acknowledge and conquer one's doubt is one of Humanity's greatest and most honorable strength. It wasn't until the events that transpired in the Gallowsberg did Luthor Huss finally understood the true strength of real faith, where the soul of holiness lay – not in the deeds of noble men spoiled by learning, but in the lives of the simple, the ones for whom the Lord Sigmar had cared when alive. If the Empire was destined for salvation, then it would come from them. Since then, Luthor Huss has done all he could to protect the Empires people, by giving them the ability to instill great fervor to fight back their fears and doubts and protect that which they all hold dear. His mighty stature and booming voice gives those around them the same zeal that burns within himself, lending them the strength they need to rise from the dirt and fight the darkness that continues to assail the world. It is from Sigmar's people, that Luthor Huss truly found the strength to fight on. Lore Conflicts * The novel "Luthor Huss" written by Chris Wright contrast with the lore written within the Empire 8th Edition about Luthor Huss. In the novel, Luthor Huss's tutelage began within the north, along the coast of Nordland while in the Armybook it is stated it began within Wissenland. * Another contrasting conflict is during the events of Wiesmund, where in the novel the town was already destroyed and there was no battle between a horde of beastmen, but rather a single duel fought between a young Luthor Huss and a Beastmen Bray-Shaman within the ruins of Wiesmund. Source * : Warhammer Armies: Empire (8th Edition) ** : pg. 60 * : Luthor Huss (Novel) by Chris Wright ** : Chapter 4 ** : Chapter 5 ** : Chapter 7 ** : Chapter 10 ** : Chapter 12 ** : Chapter 13 ** : Chapter 14 ** : Chapter 15 ** : Chapter 16 ** : Chapter 17 ** : Chapter 18 ** : Chapter 19 ** : Chapter 21 ** : Chapter 22 * : Warhammer Armies: Empire (7th Edition) ** : pg. 62 ** : pg. 63 * : Warhammer Armies: Empire (6th Edition) ** : pg. 50 ** : pg. 51 Category:Empire Characters Category:Warrior Priests of Sigmar Category:H Category:L